Carton corner reinforcement



Feb. 13, 1968 A, CKELUCK 3,368,736

CARTON CORNER REINFORCEMENT Filed Feb. 1, 1966 JOSEPH A. MCKELLICK BY Www ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,368,736 CARTON CORNER REINFORCEMENT Joseph Al McKellick, Levittown, Pa., assignor to General Partition Company, Philadelphia, Pa, a partnership Filed Feb. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 524,091 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-49) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carton formed from a blank to provide a unique corner reinforcement or support for use therein, which assures effective protection of the carton contents under conditions of handling in transit and storage, therefor enabling a substantial number of these cartons to be safely stacked one upon the other without danger of collapse.

This invention relates generally to packaging, and is especially concerned with improvements in cartons and the like.

As is well known to those versed in the art, cartons, such as of corrugated board, or other paperboard containers are presently being employed in the packaging of an increasing variety of articles, including larger and heavier articles than heretofore packaged in this manner. While corrugated containers or cartons are admirably well suited for a great variety of usages, certain shortcomings have been found in the packaging of extremely heavy articles, such as machine parts, and others. To satisfactorily package such heavy parts, and insure adequate protection thereof in transit and storage, it has heretofore been necessary to utilize heavier board stock in the carton construction.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide unique improvements in carton constructions whereby relatively heavy, fragile and other articles of contents requiring high protection, may be safely packaged in cartons of relatively lightweight card stock, to achieve substantial savings in cost.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a unique corner reinforcement or support for use in conjunction with a carton construction, which assures effective protection of the carton contents under conditions of handling in transit and storage, and which enables a substantial number of cartons to be safely stacked one upon the other without danger of collapse.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a corner reinforcement or support constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the reinforcement of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top perspective view showing a container in open condition and illustrating in operative association therewith the utilization of corner reinforcements or supports in accordance with the instant invention;

FIGURE 4 is a partial horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a top perspective view illustrating another slightly modified embodiment of corner-reinforced carton constructed according to the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5 FIGURE 7 is a top perspective view illustrating a further embodiment of corner protector or reinforcement of the present invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the corner protector of FIGURE 7 illustrating a bent condition thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURES 1 and 2 thereof, a corner reinforcement or protector is there generally designated 10, and includes a pair of relatively stiff panels or boards 11 which may be fabricated of suitably stiff card stock or other material, as desired. The boards 11 may be substantially identical, of generally rectangular, congruent configuration, and arranged in longitudinally extending or side-by-side, spaced relation. Thus, the boards 11 are longitudinally coextensive with their inner or adjacent edges 12 in adjacent, facing, spaced relation. In practice, it has been found advantageous to fabricate the boards 11 of several plies of card stock.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the boards 11 are generally coplanar, and a pair of relatively flexible connection sheets 13 are adhesively secured in facing engagement with the boards, on opposite sides thereof, each sheet extending across or bridging the space 14 between the boards. More specifically, each sheet 13 may be of flexible paper stock, having a generally rectangularoutline configuration substantially identical to the combined outline configuration of the pair of boards 11 and laminated to or otherwise adhesively secured in facing engagement with one pair of coplanar faces of the boards. Thus, the boards 11 are both sandwiched between the pair of sheets 13; and, the peripheral edges of the sheets 13 may be substantially flush with the outer edges of the boards.

By this construction, the boards 11 have their faces protectively covered and are connected together for relative swinging movement, the flexible covering sheets 13 defining a hinged connection, as along the fold line 15 extending longitudinally of the space 14.

A carton is generally designated 20 in FIGURE 3, and is shown for purposes of illustration as being generally rectangular in configuration, but may be otherwise, if desired. The carton 20 includes a generally rectangular bottom 21, and upstanding side walls 22 extending along respective side edges of the bottom. The side walls 22 may be generally rectangular, each adjacent pair of side walls intersecting at a generally vertical meeting edge or corner 23. Connected to the upper edges of the side walls 22 may be top flaps 24 swingable into overlying relation with the bottom 21 to define a top for the carton 20. As thus far described, the carton 20 may be substantially conventional.

However, located interiorly of the carton 20, adjacent to each carton corner 23 is a corner protector or reinforcement 10. Each corner reinforcement 10 is folded along its medial fold line 15 to define of the reinforcement a pair of an-gulately connected panels 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the panels 16 of each corner protector 10 are disposed normal to each other, the panel hinge connection 15 extending closely along the respective carton corner 23, and the panels being in facing engagement with adjacent portions of respective carton sides 22. As seen in FIGURE 3, the corner protector 10 is vertically coextensive with the carton sides 22, extending between the carton bottom 21 and the carton top when the flaps 24 are closed.

If desired, the corner protectors 10 may be effectively secured in their facing engagement with the interior surfaces of carton sides 22, as by staples 25, best seen in FIG- URE 4. Of course, other suitable securing means may be employed, such as adhesive, or other.

In FIGURE 4 it will also be seen the configuration of hinged joint 15, wherein the connection-sheet material 17 on the inner side of the boards 11 is folded into the space 14 between the boards to engage the connection-sheet portion 17 of the outer sheet 13 and maintain the latter distended toward the carton corner 23. Thus, not only are the carton walls 22 reinforced by the relatively stiff boards 11, but the carton corner folds 23 are effectively reinforced by the hinged board-connecting portions 17.

A similar carton is shown in FIGURE 5, there being generally designated 20a, and including a bottom 21a, upstanding sides 22a extending along respective sides of the bottom and intersecting at corners 23a. A carton top 24a is spaced over the carton bottom 21a and extends between the sides 22a. A plurality of corner protectors a are folded into their angulate relation and disposed exteriorly of respective carton corners 23a and in facing engagement with adjacent portions of the carton sides 26a. This modification is shown in greater detail in FIGURE 6, the boards 11a being sandwiched between covering connecting sheets 13a, the boards being spaced apart, as at 14a and the sheet portions 17a between the boards defining a hinged connection a. In the right-angular relationship of panels 16a, each being disposed in facing engagement with the exterior of a respective carton wall 22a, and the hinged connection 15a extending along the carton corner 23a, the protector may be suitably secured to the carton, as by fasteners 25a or other securing means, such as adhesive, straps, or other.

Here again, the protectors 19a are advantageously vertically coextensive with the carton corners 23a, so as to provide effective vertical stacking support, as well as lateral protection. Also, the inner connection-sheet portion 17a is folded into the space 14a between the boards 11a, with its fold engaging the inner side of the sheet portion 17a of the outer connection sheet to maintain the latter distended and afford effective protection to the carton corner 23a.

It will also be appreciated that the corner protectors, when secured by strapping, serve to protect the carton corners from being crushed or indented by the strapping. For such purpose the protective corners may be employed over horizontal as well as vertical corners of the carton.

While the corner protectors 10 and 10a have been illustrated as employing a pair of outer covering or sandwich sheets 13, it is appreciated that a corner protector of the present invention may be employed utilizing only a single outer or covering sheet. Such a modification is shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, wherein a corner protector 10b includes a pair of relatively stiff panels or boards 11b of generally congruent rectangular configuration and arranged in side-by-side, longitudinally coextensive adjacent, spaced relation. As ill strated in FIGURE 7, the panels 11b are generally coplanar, and a single connection sheet 1312 is secured, as by adhesive or other suitable means, in facing engagement with one pair of coplanar faces of the boards. The connection sheet 13b is advantageously of a rectangular-outline configuration substantially congruent to that of the combined outline configuration of boards 11b, so that the edges of sheet 13b are flush with the outer edges of boards 13b. In this manner, the boards 11b are connected together by a relatively flexible hinge 15b defined by the portion 17b of sheet 131) intermediate the boards 1111. By this hinged connection, the boards 11 are swingable relative to each other, say to the condition shown in FIGURE 8, wherein the sheet 13b is on the inner side of the angulate arrangement of boards. The boards 1112 are also s'wingable relative to each other to place the connection sheet 131 on the outer side of the angulate board configuration.

The corner protector 1012 may be employed in conjunction with cartons in substantially the same manner as described in connection with the corner protectors 10 and 10a, to achieve many of the same advantageous results.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides an improvement in cartons which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a carton including a generally polygonal bottom, a plurality of upstanding sides extending along respective side edges of said bottom and intersecting with each other to define upstanding corners, and a top spaced over said bottom and extending between said sides; of a corner reinforcement comprising a pair of relatively stiff boards each having at least one straight side edge and arranged with their straight side edges in generally parallel adjacent spaced relation, and a pair of relatively flexible connection sheets extending across the space between said boards and each having one face secured in facing engagement with both of said boards, said boards being located in respective facing relation with respect to an adjacent pair of carton sides with said connection sheets extending about the corner defined by said pair of carton sides, at least the inner of said sheets having a fold line spaced medially between said boards and being folded therealong into the space between said boards and abutting against the outer of said sheets, for mutual reinforcement thereof.

2. The combination according to claim 1, in combination with securing means securing said boards in said respective facing relation.

3. The combination according to claim 1, said pair of boards being generally coextensive with the adjacent corner, for both lateral and vertical reinforcement thereof.

4. The combination according to claim 3, said boards being interiorly of said corner.

5. The combination according to claim 3, said boards being exteriorly of said corner.

6. The combination according to claim 3, said boards being generally rectangular, and said connection sheet substantially completely covering the faces of said boards.

7. The combination according to claim 6, said connection sheet being adhesively secured to said boards.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,154,688 9/1915 Bale. 1,361,564 12/1920 Callery. 1,433,281 10/1922 Hubard 22949 2,283,349 5/1942 Angier 229-49 X 2,374,539 4/1945 Guyer 22949 X 2,910,221 10/1959 Whiton 229-49 X 3,090,087 5/1963 Miller 22949 X 3,200,547 8/1965 Johnson.

DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner. 

